Thursday, August 6, 2009

interfaith programs

So, I have already posted on our embossed Escort Cards and our perfectly quoted chocolate. Now, it’s time to show you two more projects I finished the week of the wedding: Our programs and menus.

First up, the programs. Since we were having an interfaith wedding I wanted to make sure that all of our guests understood the various components of our wedding. I also knew that I wanted to make the programs short and sweet.

The good news was that I had purchased about six packets of PaperSource’s Eco-White #10 Note Cards at 50% off around the holidays. So at about $2.25 for 25 note cards, the whole project cost about 5 bucks. (I think for 60 guests, I made about 45-ish programs.)

Before I printed them, I also ran them by our Rabbi to make sure he approved. He loved them.

Here’s the wording:

Love.

Friends and Family, Thank you for joining us on our wedding day. We hope our inter-faith ceremony is a harmonious mix of both of our backgrounds.

We will be standing under a Chuppah to create an intimate space, symbolizing the open home that we will share together. The sides are left open to signify that all friends and family are welcome into our new life and home.
Ketubah Signing: Before the ceremony, we held a Ketubah signing ceremony, which is a two thousand year old Jewish tradition documenting our love as a marriage contract. Our interfaith Ketubah will hang in our home as a reminder of our love and commitment to one another.
The Ceremony: The Ceremony will be lead by Rabbi Dr. XXXXX, a Comparative Religion and Ethics Professor from XXXXXXX University.
Reading: Papa Peep Toe will be reading: The Greatest of These is Love, A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians (12:31-13:1-8a).
The Wine: Wine to us symbolizes the happiness, depth and richness of joy on this day. During our ceremony we’ll share two glasses of wine- one glass was provided by Ms. Peep’s family and other Mr. Peep’s. When the second cup of wine is poured, the ‘Seven Blessings’ are recited. We’ve asked family and friends to interpret these classic seven blessings with themes that include joy and happiness, nature, the importance of marriage, and the human spirit.
The Breaking of the Glass: At the end of the ceremony, Mr. Peep will break a glass wrapped in cloth. This ritual punctuates the end of the ceremony. May we always remain delicate and fragile with each other. (A broken glass cannot be mended. Likewise, marriage is irrevocable.) It is a transforming experience that leaves individuals forever changed. While there are many other interpretations of this practice, it signals an end to the ceremony with shouts of:
“Mazel Tov!” (Congratulations!) Let the party begin!

The back of the note card listed all of the members of the wedding party, our parents, the Chuppah Holder’s names, and the wonderful people who did the Seven Blessings for us.

We also stole a quote from the amazing Hot Cocoa, J.D.

The opportunity to establish an officially recognized family with a loved one and to obtain the substantial benefits such a relationship may offer is of the deepest and utmost importance to any individual and couple who wish to make such a choice.

In re Marriage Cases, 183 P.3d 384 (Cal. 2008)

None of our guests commented on the quote, but it felt good knowing that we recognized the inequality of marriage in the State of California.

We also asked our guest to stay on the terrace after the ceremony so we could take a group picture.

I never did take a picture of the final product, but we did get a picture of it in action:

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These inspired the rest of the printed materials we used. I’ve told you all what we would be serving but I never got the chance to show you the menu:

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Again, I used my 50% off #10 Eco-white PaperSource note cards. And I used the oh-so-popular quote, Eat. Drink. Be Married. At the wedding guests ate the menus up along with the meal.

Did you have a tough time with your program wording? Are you doing a short and sweet version, or something more grand??

The last two pictures are from the amazingly fantastic Blueberry Photography.